Development of improved therapy for adult leukemia serves as the primary objective of this proposal. The present grant supports the work of the Chairman of the Adult Leukemia Committee of the Southwest Oncology Group and draws upon the expertise within the Department of Developmental Therapeutics to develop new research leads, conduct pilot studies and participate in the groupwide studies of the Southwest Oncology Group. Novel approaches to techniques for conducting clinical investigations, particularly of the use of pretreatment prognostic factors to assure comparability between groups of patients receiving new treatments and those receiving conventional treatment are developed in collaboration with the statistical office. Development of new strategies of treatment are emphasized, particularly studies of schedule, sequence and combination of drugs of proven activity. Studies concentrate on techniques for induction of remission, which include late Phase I and early Phase II testing of new drugs, adjuvant therapy with immunotherapy and improved techniques for supportive treatment, including better improved management of infectious and hemorrhagic complications. Techniques for prolongation of remission, once achieved, include, in addition to strategies of intensification of remission to chemotherapy, the effectiveness of immunological adjuvant therapy. Studies of cell biology and cell kinetics on such patients are used to devise new strategies for both induction of remission maintenance and investigation of the potential for eradication of the cellular phase of the disease.